(Photo credit: Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
An arrest has been made after three horses were viciously stabbed at a barrel racing event in Las Vegas.
On Saturday, May 30, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a call that a horse had been stabbed in the equestrian barns at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, where they were being housed for the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) Supershow.
When officers arrived, they found three horses that had been wounded “with a sharp object,” according to a press release. An investigation led to the identification of a teen girl whom authorities think “may have used a knife to inflict multiple injuries to the horses.”
All three horses survived the incident but suffered injuries severe enough to prevent them from competing.
The unnamed female was taken into custody at a nearby hotel and transported her to the Clark County Juvenile Hall. She is facing 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming, or torturing an animal, and three counts of Felony Malicious Destruction of Private Property valued at more than $5,000.
Numerous outlets are reporting that the attacker was a fellow competitor at the NBHA event.
Horse Owners Speak Out
Arielle Phillips, owner of one of the injured horses, shared her account of the incident in a post to social media. She wrote that she had been tending to her horse, Detail, when the alleged attacker began “hanging out” and asking “weird questions.”
Phillips states that upon leaving her horse, cameras captured the individual entering Detail’s stall as well as the stall of another horse, which also suffered injuries.
On Sunday, Arielle shared an update on Detail along with photos of her injuries. Photos can be viewed HERE. Viewer discretion is advised.
Professional barrel racer Hailey Krahenbuhl’s horse, Sully, was also injured in the attack. Krahenbuhl wrote that the horse was “stabbed multiple times” and “is stitched up and in recovery.”
The third horse, Rocket, was stabbed three times and is expected to make a full recovery. Rocket’s owner, Keira Weisbart, wrote in an update that they aren’t placing any blame on the venue, “as there was nothing more they could’ve done.”
A GoFundMe account was created to help cover the costs of treatment and recovery for the injured horses.
“These horses are more than just animals. They are partners, family, and a huge part of their lives,” the fundraising page reads. “What happened was heartbreaking and completely undeserved, and now they need care, treatment, and support to recover. We are asking for any help possible to cover veterinary bills and give these horses the best chance at healing.”
As of press time, over $16,000 has been raised for Rocket, Detail, and Sully. If you would like to contribute, you can do so HERE.
